Please help identify this rash

[teaandtoastwithmarmite]

I've had this rash for a few months now. Had a telephone call with gp and she prescribed a cream which doesn't do an awful lot. I think I'm allergic to something and have tried the following
Stopping using charcoal face wash, then a different face wash and now using dove soap
Am about to change shampoo
Tried not wearing make up
Tried using just Nivea soft and not my usual anti aging cream
Cancelled my next hair dye appointment
It seems to die down then starts up a bit and it's starting to get me down.

It could be the sertraline and there were also cases of eating chocolate while on it causes skin rashes

Definitely not across the nose and cheeks. Started on neck and near collar bone. Then bottom of face and now towards top of forehead. I was getting a kind of burning feeling but not as much now. I was also taking hair, nail and skin vitamins but stopped ages ago. Been on sertraline ages and never had rash before. Had sore and itchy eyes before the neck rash but seems to have stopped a bit. It's so weird.

I think it has calmed down. That's what makes me wonder if it's hair dye.

Is it just your face. When did you use the hair dye.

I'd have met with a brick wall of helpfulness with my face rash.

I found the pharmacist really good recently with a heat rash on my feet.

For my face, Hydrocortisone cream from the pharmacist works. But you aren't supposed to use it above the neck without gp prescription

Then during a flare up (mine are cold weather induced) I wash with aqueous cream. Everything stings during a flare up. Mine is over nose and mouth area.

I use eucerin ato control moisturiser.

Take one or two one a day antihistamines (cetriizine) or piriton as directed. Good luck and yes try for diagnosis incase it's something more serious.

I last had my hair done August 6. I've been using a John Frieda shampoo which has dye in it to refresh the red.

I tried hydrocortisone but it itches even more.

Stop using all your normal anti ageing creams and even Nivea. Nivea does this to me, it's fine for a few weeks and then very quickly I flare up.

Stop everything completely and switch to CeraVe sensitive wash and CeraVe lotion. Nothing else at all. I bet it clears up. Give it a few weeks at least.

It's a shame as Nivea soft is just lovely on my skin initially before a rash appears and I want to claw my face off!

If you stop or change everything you're using you may never find the cause and in fact whilst your skin is inflamed something new, even mild and usually non-allergenic, could cause a reaction. Stop the most recently introduced thing first.

Check whether the formulation of anything you're using has changed. Have you changed any laundry products or has the formulation of any of those changed? The perfume in washing powders, etc is far more likely to cause a rash than the enzymes in the bio version.

Will do this. Thanks.

That's my shampoo so will stop that. Not washed my hair today anyway.

Just looked on Amazon and there are quite a few different ones. Any in particular?

I had this in almost exactly the same pattern (neck & collar bone, then my face and my eyes too) and after a process of elimination I'm pretty sure it was my shampoo.

I was referred for allergy (patch) testing on the NHS, and still waiting 15 months later, so I would go to BUPA if you want this any time soon!!

@OzricTentacles that's very interesting. Did it clear up once you stopped using it? It started with my eyes not long before I got married which would coincide with the first time I had my hair dyed at hairdressers. Then went away then came back so I'm becoming more convinced it's hair dye and my shampoo.

Yes the rash has completely gone now I've stopped using it. I also had Elidel cream from GP for use around eyes as this area took the longest to clear up.

If the shampoo has hair dye in, it could be rubbing off on your pillowcase and transferring to your face and neck.

That's true. Thanks so much everyone. I really appreciate all your help. Haven't put anything on my face tonight. It is itching a bit but going to try my hardest to leave it.

That was my first thought but I’m no doctor.

If you need to go private to get a face to face appointment or referral to a dermatologist I’d do that OP.

Shampoo is also one of the biggest culprits for fragrance, essential oils (some of these very irritant) and harsh detergent chemicals. Do be careful with hair dye as true allergies to that can be dangerous.

There are fragrance free shampoos on the market which may be worth a try.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin 236 ml with Hyaluronic Acid and 3 Essential Ceramides amzn.eu/d/0uD5s8L

Cerave Moisturising Lotion amzn.eu/d/hsLO8kT

If you think it's the shampoo, also wash your bedding and wash your hair with something else.

I have rosacea and I don't think that's what you have.

Thank you @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor. Woke up this morning and it was quite good. Used a different shampoo. Then it felt really tight so I used a little bit of cream and it felt itchy again. Itching has died down now but it looks red. I'm not really into looks and make up but I'm feeling self conscious now. Will persevere

My whole life has been like this and since starting with CeraVe I have no issues at all. It was a miracle for me.